Fugitive
by ArashiKishu1
Summary: A one-shot slightly Seiftis songfic. Song 'Fugitive' by Bush. Rated PG for inappropriate laguage. Enjoy!


Author's Note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEIFER! I would have uploaded this yerterday, on his actual birthday, but FF.net wouldn't loaded! *mumbles*  Well, I won't lie to you; this story is a bit sappy. The beginning is kid of dark, though. Sorry if Seifer and/or Quistis are OOC, please bare with me, this is my first piece of fan fiction :) Sorry for any spelling/grammer mistakes! Also, the formatting is a little…spacious…if anyone knows how to fix that, please tell me. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I love Yoshitaka Amano, I really do. He created Seifer and Quistis, where would we be without him? Square owns the game and the song 'Fugitive' is by Bush, a very good band. ...And I believe that's everyone. 

Fugitive

by Arashi Kishu

Cold. Bloody. Tired. Those three words described Seifer Almasy as he trudged along the muddy soil, surrounded by nothing but the darkness and a few trees.  "Shit," he muttered to himself, frustrated. He hadn't a clue where he was going; only knew that he had to keep moving or he'd be staring at the barrel of a gun in no time.

The sky was bleak, a mixture of greys and browns; it would rain soon, no doubt. The wind howled and whistled, tiny bits of hard dirt and rock hitting against his face, stinging it.

_We got the soul_

_We got the honey_

Stayed alive 

_We keep on running_

He had to stay alive...he just had to. 'Why, it's not like the world would miss you, lapdog', the wind seemed to say. 'What, you think if you stay alive you'll be able to redeem yourself? Ha! You're a fucking screw up, Almasy. You know it, the world knows it.'

"SHUT UP!!!" He screamed into the bitter, cold night. Pausing to glare at his surroundings, he continued on, his boots hitting the ground with much more enunciation. 

_House is on fire_

_With petrol stain_

_We stay on the move_

_Ahead of the flames_

He knew he was dirty, physically, but he felt filthy on the inside. _Tainted_. He wanted to take a shower and turn the water on hot, so hot that it was scalding. For his sins went much farther than skin deep. He'd burn them off, and he didn't care how much it would hurt. 

But...he was, perhaps...forever tarnished.

Peering into the darkness, he saw _something_. A...building?

_We are the new_

_Accelerators_

_Faster we go_

_Before they make us_

Quistis had been sitting alone for the past hour in an isolated bar somewhere near Balamb.  She wasn't much of a drinker, but enjoyed the occasional taste of alcohol. Besides, Selphie was planning yet _another_ party, and Quistis didn't want to get stuck with the job of hanging up decorations again. And some alone time was good for Quistis, anyway.

Quistis felt the cold breeze coming in from the just opened door and glanced up from her drink. Seifer. _Seifer Almasy_. 'Oh Hyne...' She quickly noted his torn trench coat, which obviously had blood on the sleeve, possibly from a wound. His hair was disheveled, steel-toed boots muddy looking, and Hyperion was not on him like usual. She instantly became uneasy of his current condition. 

Seifer immediately felt the warmth of the bar surround him as he stepped inside the small tavern and closed the door behind him. The savoring smell of alcohol caused his mouth to water. He hadn't had a thing to drink -not even water- in the last 2 days, and Hyne, he needed a beer. He made his way over to the bartender, limping slightly on his right leg. He glanced around the bar briefly; it really was as small as it looked on the outside. The lights were dimmed and there were only a few customers. 'Thank Hyne...hopefully no one will recognize me.'

_Maybe we did_

_Maybe we don't_

_We see your face_

_As you throw the stone_

The former blonde haired instructor contemplated going over to him. After all, she hadn't seen this man in 7 months. But then again, he looked hurt, physically and emotionally. What had happened in these 7 months that had caused him to relinquish that impudence he always had about him? She realized she was acting stupid, 'just go over and ask!' Putting aside all qualms, Quistis got up from her seat and started making her way towards Seifer. 

He was just about to take a sip of his drink, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Seifer." That voice...so familiar... 'Quistis...?' The woman's delicate hand slid off his shoulder and her form came to stand in front of him. It _was_ her. "Mind if I sit here?", Quistis asked, gesturing to the chair across from Seifer.

"...Quistis...what are...what are you doing here?" His eyes looked at her disbelievingly.

Quistis looked down at him and smiled. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." Quistis sat down and folded her hands in her lap. "I just came over to ask-I mean, well it's just no one has seen you for-" Quistis paused, trying to think of the right words. "Are you...all right?", she finally asked.

"Well...I feel like shit...and I imagine I must look it, too."

"What happened to you? After the Sorceress' War, I mean,"

He hesitated for a few moments, and then began to speak, "Not many people were alright with my...behavior during the war. A group of people formed whose wish was for nothing more than to see my pay for my crimes. To see me dead. So...I've just been...well, running. I can't stay in any one place for a long amount of time, unless my goal is to be spotted. I found this bar, and figured I'd be safe here for the time being."

"And the blood on your sleeve...is it yours," Quistis asked, worried. 

"Oh... Yeah. It's not a big deal though, I'm fine." But he could see she was still worried. "I encountered a few monsters and couldn't defend myself. I don't have Hyperion with me anymore...I lost it when I was in hiding, and I've been weak lately, so my magic's no good."

_I am a fugitive on the run_

_I carry the weight of what I've done_

_Those born a sweat_

_Through eyes of love_

_Bring more light_

_Than five thousand hertz_

She got up from her seat and walked over to him, bending down slightly to inspect his arm. He winced when she brought her fingers to the wound. She looked up, an apology in her eyes, and stated seriously, "Seifer...this isn't right...you don't deserve this." She then preformed Curaga, removing most of the pain from his arm. 

"Thank you," he said, feeling the pain ease. Looking down at his hands, they started to shake slightly, and he brought up a hand, running it through his messy hair with a frustrated sigh. "Damn it! I'm so fucking sick of this! Sick of being known as the infamous 'lapdog'!"

Quistis gently placed her hand over Seifer's shaking one, trying to comfort him. Seifer looked into her eyes and she smiled sympathetically at him. Quistis had never seen Seifer like this, in a state of weakness. It was true that Quistis had always thought of Seifer as problematic, always causing trouble and constantly thinking that he was better than everyone else. But currently Seifer was no longer surrounded by an air of confidence, but with one of apprehension. 

Suddenly, Seifer pulled his hand from underneath hers and looked away. "I don't know why you're being kind to me, I tried to kill you, all of you. I deserve this after what I've done." Seifer stood up, preparing to leave, but Quistis' arm on his shoulder prevented his from doing so.

"No Seifer...during that time, you were deluded. Not of your own mind. Just like Matron was, Seifer, you have to see that. I forgive you, and I know the others will, too. Even Squall...with time", Quistis tried to assure Seifer, soothingly running her hand up and down his arm.

Seifer leaned his head down, "I'm just so tired Quis, I'm just so tired..." 

"I know." Quistis drew her arms around him. 

He returned the embrace, resting his head on her shoulder. "I've missed you... I've missed everything. Tell me Quis, why can't things go back to normal?"

"Who says they can't?" She looked up at Seifer and whispered, "Come back to Garden with me."

He shook his head, "I...I can't...it wouldn't be fair. I can't except them to forgive me, I don't even forgive myself."

"But I forgive you. And if they see that, then maybe they'll do the same. I'll talk to Cid, he'll understand, he has too. The same thing happened to you that happened to Matron. He will, Seifer. Please..." she pleaded.

Seifer hesitated for a few moments, and then nodded. Quistis smiled up at him.

_It's not where you're from_

_Or where you go_

_Or what you believe_

_It's more than you know_

_Open your head_

_Open your head_

_Hold me close as you jump off the edge_

"I'm going to go get my coat, then we're going to home, 'kay?" Quistis smiled, holding back the tears. She was happy. Happier then she'd ever been in her life. Deciding to turn before she broke down in tears of joy, she went to fetch her coat.

Seifer just stood there, amazed, at the woman he was watching.  

_I am a fugitive on the run_

_I carry the weight of what I've done_

So don't carry the weight 

_Don't carry the weight_

_I don't carry the weight_

'Maybe things will be okay from now on,' he thought, 'maybe I can finally stop running...' Seifer glanced over at Quistis, knowing that he had her to thank for everything. And as she made her way back to him, he couldn't help but smile.

Quistis came up to him and took his hand in hers. The two left the tavern, entering the cold weather again. But neither of them felt the cold, only the warmth they felt inside of themselves. 

_You can't change the world,_

_But you can change what's to come_

The End

I know, sappy. But errr...yeah, hope you enjoyed reading this and I also hope you review, even if it's just to flame, anything is fine with me ^__^ Arigato!


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